Fundraising FoxChristchurch · Pre-Seed–Seed · 23 people tracked
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Investment thesis
Ministry of Awesome is a founder-first, founder-led startup support organisation focused on growing the Aotearoa New Zealand economy through startup innovation. It supports early-stage founders from initial idea refinement through scaling after a capital raise, connecting them with experienced mentors, preparing them for investors, and partnering with organisations that enable growth. It also serves investors by providing better deal flow and long-term insights into promising New Zealand startups, and works with partners to shape policy and fund programmes, communities, and events. It maintains physical and virtual hubs and runs initiatives such as Electrify Aotearoa and community programmes across the country.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 23 people
from the firm's website
CEO of Ministry of Awesome, leading its mission to build a collaborative startup ecosystem across Aotearoa. An innovation leader experienced in strategy, cross-functional programme design, and connecting government, universities, startups, and industry.
Creative marketing specialist working across design, brand, events, and marketing to represent and share the organization's stories and values.
CMO overseeing marketing, brand management, digital marketing, and social media, and building community around Te Ōhaka.
Startup ecosystem specialist with 15 years supporting founders; former Investment Director at NZGCP and Executive Director of the Angel Association.
Co-founder of Narrative Muse, an ethical audience intelligence platform, leading product vision and commercial growth; previously worked in film and TV including on the Emmy-winning series Rūrangi.
Board chair with over 20 years in senior business leadership to CEO level and senior roles at government agencies including the Ministry for Māori Development and Ministry for Primary Industries.
Early-stage founder advisor with 25+ years building and scaling tech companies, including a European social network exit. Co-founder of a leading NZ startup accelerator, supporting founders on product-market fit and go-to-market.
Co-founder of Myovolt, focused on commercialising R&D, with a 25-year track record as an inventor and company founder delivering innovations to international markets.
Former health tech founder with experience across research, product development, commercialisation, investor relations, and financial management, now supporting founders bringing high-impact solutions to market.
Venture-backed serial entrepreneur in NZ and NYC and a go-to-market specialist advising companies including Halter, Tracksuit, and Sence.
Product development consultant with 20 years in product marketing and entrepreneurship; co-founder and former CEO of Startup Queenstown Lakes.
Fintech founder and entrepreneur with a background in strategy, finance, and economics, recognized as a University of Auckland Top 40 Under 40 and 2023 IBM Hi-Tech Awards Inspiring Individual.
Chartered Accountant and Associate Director at EY specialising in financial, accounting, and taxation needs of privately owned businesses; helped build the EY–MOA partnership.
Founder and CEO of Partly and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree who previously built four companies and led the guidance and simulation team at Rocket Lab.
Early employee and first Head of People at Canva, and former operational leader at Airtasker; an investor and mentor to startups.
Leads the Electrify initiative supporting women and non-binary founders in New Zealand, and is a former Chief Executive of Ministry of Awesome. She previously spent 15 years in marketing and growth strategy for tech startups in NZ and with Universal Studios and Discovery Networks in the US and Europe.
Business development, marketing, and strategic leader and serial entrepreneur with a background in SaaS, agritech, and community ventures, supporting growth and commercial strategy for startups.
Entrepreneur, technologist, and educator; co-founder and former CTO of Y Combinator-backed Nuvocargo, with prior machine learning and product/engineering leadership roles.
Business strategist with expertise in sales strategy, food & beverage, and healthtech, helping others develop solutions for profitable, sustainable growth.
Former CEO of Dotterel Technologies, which he scaled from startup to international deployments; now advises founders on go-to-market, fundraising, sales, and product development.
Co-founder and CEO of Reason and founder of RescueMetrics; an investor and advisor helping founders with product-market fit and go-to-market strategy.
Head of Operations keeping the organization running smoothly, with experience across corporate, manufacturing, hospitality, and retail industries.
CIO responsible for developing and managing Ministry of Awesome's startup and innovation products, drawing on over two decades in Silicon Valley's entrepreneurship and innovation scene.
Founder mafia
6 people who came through Founder Catalyst (Ministry of Awesome) went on to found or lead other companies.
What they invest in
from 2 of 15 portfolio companiesAgTech ×1Cybersecurity ×1EdTech ×1Fintech ×1Future of Work ×1SaaS ×1
HQs:New Zealand×1
Portfolio companies · 15 tracked
alumni founders can tell you what the program is really likeOpefin ingests a firm's AML programme and risk matrix and turns it into a live risk-scoring engine that reconciles client source-of-funds declarations against bank data pulled via Open Banking.
CybersecurityFintechSaaS
Volly Solutions provides drone-based farm mapping, aerial imagery, and digital solutions for the agriculture and horticulture industry in New Zealand.
AgTechEdTechFuture of WorkNew Zealand, NZ
Hamish Vollebregt(Co-founder)Brent Vollebregt(Co-founder)
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
Galin EngineGeoddeGuardian FlameInfraXInoscopeinviolNomuObsidian SystemsOnChain EducationOrvaThe Others ClubVraxWildMark
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Founder Catalyst (Ministry of Awesome) made?
- Founder Catalyst (Ministry of Awesome) has 15 tracked investments.
- What stage does Founder Catalyst (Ministry of Awesome) invest at?
- Founder Catalyst (Ministry of Awesome) invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed stages.
- What sectors does Founder Catalyst (Ministry of Awesome) focus on?
- Founder Catalyst (Ministry of Awesome) focuses on Sector Agnostic.
- Where is Founder Catalyst (Ministry of Awesome) located?
- Founder Catalyst (Ministry of Awesome) is headquartered in Christchurch, NZ.
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